In this chapter Job marvels at the majesty and power of God, offering great honor and respect to Him.
“He stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing. He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not split open under them. He covers the face of the full moon and spreads over it his cloud. He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness. The pillars of heaven tremble and are astounded at his rebuke.” (v7-11)
I don’t know about you, but I don’t often speak of God in this way. When I come to Him in prayer, of course I address Him with love, reverence and honor, but I seldom describe the awesome works of His hands. Not only could I elaborate when praising Him in prayer, I could also speak these thoughts to those around me as Job did, so they too can marvel at God’s greatness.
What does it take for us to honor and respect someone? Does it require something from them, or do we need to make a conscious decision to honor someone? If we dig into it a little, in order for me to honor and respect someone, I need to have a positive view of them. That view is on me, more than it is on the other person. I can consciously choose to honor and respect someone (including God) regardless of their works – how I choose to view them and speak of them is in my mind and heart, and is not necessarily rooted in who they are or what they have done.
The world proves this point – so many people out there do not love, honor, revere, or glorify God. Is that on Him, or on them? Does God need to do something more to earn their respect? No, respect and honor are granted from one to another by a conscious choice.
My encouragement for today is to not only love, honor and revere God, but to reshape any negative views of every person we encounter. Scripture teaches that we are made in God’s image, so therefore we are worthy of honor and respect from each other. If we disrespect someone who is made in God’s image, we are effectively disrespecting God Himself. Let’s glorify God in how we speak about Him, and in how we speak about each other.
When struggling with my view of someone, I like to remember the two greatest commandments Jesus summarized for us: ” ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’ ” Loving my neighbor means honoring and respecting them, and speaking well of them, regardless of their works or deeds. Jesus does not add any provisions or qualifiers (eg. “love your neighbor if….”), He makes this commandment unconditional. By loving everyone made in God’s image, I am loving and honoring God and Jesus as well, since we are Honoring their commandments.
Father God, our Holy and Righteous Lord, great and mighty are Your endless works. Father You created the heavens and the earth out of the empty void. You delivered us from our own hand of destruction, and we praise You for You are more than worthy of our praise. Father we also long to love and honor our neighbors – even the ones who try our patience, or are seemingly undeserving of respect. Holy Spirit please continue growing Your fruit within us, so we may have the capacity and ability to love and honor everyone as Jesus does, for we cannot love people properly on our own. We ask this in the generously loving name of Jesus, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training